Lasting machine



May 3, 1938- J. c. JoRGENsN 2,115,722

LASTING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1937 www Patented \May 3, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VLASTING MACHINE Application May 21, 1937, Serial No. 144,008

10 Claims.

This invention relates to lasting machines and more particularly to machines for lasting the heel ends of shoes. The invention is herein illustrated as applied to a machine constructed generally as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,059,241, granted on November 3, 1936 upon an application of mine, but it is to be understood that it is not limited in utility to machines of that particular character.

As shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, heel-end-lasting machines are commonly provided with wipers for wiping the marginal portion of the heel end of the upper materials inwardly over an insole or other shoe bottom part on the last, and with a holddown for engaging the bottom of the heel end of the shoe to determine the relation of the shoe to the plane of the wipers. It occasionally happens that the upper materials of a shoe are not assembled in the best relation, so that the inturned iiange of the counter is not well down on the insole but is spaced therefrom in one or more locations around the heel seat when the shoe comes to the heel-end-lasting machine. If the wipers operate on such a shoe in a plane as close to the insole as on a properly assembled shoe, there is danger of damage to the outer layer of the upper materials because of the resistance of the comparatively stiff counter to the movement of the wipers. An object of the present invention accordingly is to provide means adapted for quick and convenient use to change the relation between the wipers and a shoe to meet such special conditions. The construction herein shown comprises novel mechanism for effecting a quick adjustment of the holddown from a normal position in a direction to space the insole farther from the plane of the wipers in the wiping operation so that the Wipers will operate with less pressure on the upper materials, and automatic means for returning the holddown to normal position after the lasting operation so that the machine will be in condition to operate next, as usual, on a properly assembled shoe. In ma- 45 chines constructed as disclosed in the abovementioned Letters Patent the holddown is controlled by power-operated mechanism which operates it to depress the shoe both prior to and after the operation of the wipersthereon, and for purposes of the present invention the abovedescribed adjustment of the holddown is effected by relative movement of parts of this mechanism, a latch being provided for preventing reverse relative movement of such parts. In response to. 55 the movement of the mechanism to depress the shoe after the lasting operation this latch is rendered inoperative, whereupon the relatively movable parts resume their normal relation to each other under the inuence of a spring.

The novel features of the invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a View in left-handside elevation, with parts broken away, of a portion of a machine provided with mechanism constructed for purposes of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portion of the mechanism as it appears after its movement to adjust the holddown;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of certain parts shown in'Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 shows a portion of the machine in iront elevation and illustrates the relation of a shoe to the holddown, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the heel end of a shoe in the lasting of which the mechanism provided by the invention may be advantageously utilized.

In view of the disclosure of the previously mentioned Letters Patent, only such parts of the general organization of the machine to which the invention is shown as applied as itis necessary to refer to for an understanding of the invention are illustrated in the drawing or will be hereinafter mentioned. The machine is provided with power-operated wipers 2 movable in a fixed plane to wipe the marginal portion of the heel end of the upper materials inwardly over the insole, and associated with the wipers is mechanism, not shown in detail, for driving a gang of tacks to fasten the upper in lasted position. The shoe is supported on a jack 4 and is clamped around its heel end by a heel band 6. The jack is swung about a horizontal axis to carry the shoe to a'position within the heel band and is raised to force the shoe against a holddown 8 which engages the heel end of the insole. The holddown is vertically movable in a guideway in a bracket IU on the frame of the machine and is provided with rack teeth l2 in engagement with a pinion I4 formed integral with a shaft I6 which is rotatable in bearings in the bracket. Also integral with the shaft I6 is a spiral gear I8 in engagement with teeth on a horizontal slide mounted in a guideway in the bracket l0. This slide is operatively related, as hereinafter described in detail, to a bar 22 the rear end of which is slidingly mounted in a recess 24 formed in a slide 25 movable in a guideway in the frame. The slide 26 carries a roll 28 arranged to be engaged by a rotatable cam 3l). Mounted in a recess in the bar 22 is a light spring 32 which bears at its rear end against the slide 26 and tends by its expansion to move the bar 22 and the slide 20 forwardly and thus to lower the holddown 8 by turning the shaft I6. This movement is normally limited by engagement of a lug 34 on the bar 22 with a plunger 36 controlled by a spring 38 mounted in the lower end of a lever 40 which is pivoted at 412 on the frame as and for purposes described in the previously mentioned Letters Patent. When the jack 4 is raised to force the shoe against the holddown, thev holddown is lifted by the shoe and the bar 22 is moved rearwardly against the resistance of the spring 32 until a flange 44 on the bar engages the forward end of the slide 26. Thereafter, in the power operation of the machine, the cam 35 acts through the slide 26 to depress the holddown and the shoe and thus to cause the heel band to wipe the upper upwardly before the band is closed firmly against the shoe. The holddown then determines the height of the bottom of the heel end of the shoe relatively to the plane of the wipers 2 as the wipers are operated to wipe the marginal portion of the upper materials inwardly over the insole. After one such overwiping movement of the wipers they are retracted and are then operated again to apply a second wipe to the upper, prior to which second wipe the shoe and the holddown are raised slightly by the jack, as permitted by the cam 30, to increase the pressure of the wipers on the shoe. After the driving of the upper-fastening tacks the holddown is depressed by the cam 30 to a lower position than at any previous time in the cycle to force the shoe away from the wipers before the latter are retracted from over the shoe bottom, whereupon the parts of the machine resume their starting positions.

As thus far described, the construction and operation of the machine are as disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent. As also therein disclosed, the machine is provided with means for eifecting an initial vertical adjustment of the holddown to vary the position of a shoe heightwise relatively to the plane of the wipers. This means comprises a sleeve 46 threaded in the bracket I0 and mounted to turn on the shaft I6 between one end of the spiral gear I8 and a collar 48 fast on the shaft. It will be understood that turning of the sleeve 46 serves to move the shaft I6 lengthwise and that such movement of the shaft causes it to turn and` adjust the holddown by reason of the engagement of the spiral gear I8 with the teeth on the slide 26. This adjustment is required, for example, when there is a substantial difference in the thickness of the upper materials as between different lots ,of shoes and it will be evident that when thus adjusted to position a shoe in a particular relation to the wipers, the holddown will position every shoe in that relation until it is diiferently adjusted.

It sometimes happens, however, that some particular shoe should be positioned differently than other shoes of the same lot, in order to avoid danger of damage to the upper materials in the lasting operation. In the shoe shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, for example, portions a of the inturned ange of the counter are buckled so that they are spaced considerably above the insole. This may have been caused by the lifting of the wings of the counter prior to the side lasting operation, necessitated by improper assembling of the upper materials. It is desirable that such a shoe be positioned slightly lower than a shoe in normal condition during each overwiping movement of the wipers, so that' the wipers will apply somewhat less pressure to the upper. The present invention, accordingly, provides means for effecting a quick adjustment of the holddown in a downward direction to meet such special conditions, together with automatic means for returning the holddown to normal positiony for use on the next shoe. For the purposes in view the rear portion of the slide 20 is bifurcated to receive between spaced arms thereof a forwardly projecting tongue 50 on the bar 22, and a pin 52 carried by the slide extends through a slot 54 in the tongue. A spring 56 mounted in a recess in the forward end of the slide 20 and engaging a stop 58 on the bracket I0 normally holds the rear end of the slide in engagement with shoulders 60 on the bar 22 at the opposite sides of thetongue 50. Within the limits of the pin and slot connection between the slide and the bar, however, the slide may be moved forward relatively to the bar to adjust the holddown in a downward direction. For thus moving the slide 20 there is provided a lever 62 fast on a pin 64 mounted to turn in bearings in the bracket l0, the lever having a bifurcated lower end embracing a stud 66 mounted in the bifurcated portion of the slide (Fig. 3). The stud is held fast to one of the arms of the slide by a nut 68 which forces a collar 10 against oneside of that arm and forces a shoulder 'l2 of the stud against the other side of the arm. The lever 62 is operated by a plunger T4 which is mounted in the bracket l0 and has on its forward end a head 16 arranged to be engaged by the hand of the operator, the plunger being rearwardly movable against the resistance of a spring 18. To maintain the holddown in adjusted position there is loosely mounted on an eccentric portion of the stud 66 a latch 82 the rear end of which normally rests on a ledge 84 of the tongue 50, as shown in Fig. 1, but enters a notch 86 in the tongue when the slide 20 is moved forwardly by the lever 62, as shown in Fig. 2. A spring-pressed plunger 88 engaging the top of the latch insures such downward movement of.

the latch.Y It will be evident that the latch prevents the slide 20 from being returned by the spring 56 to its initial position in relation to the bar 22 and that in the power operation ofthe machine the slide is operated to depress the holddown in the manner previously described by the engagement of the tongue 50 of the bar with thel end face of therlatch. The position of the holddown determined by the latch may be varied byv turning the stud 676 after loosening the nut 68, the latch being mounted on an eccentric portion 80 of the stud as previously described. In order to permit return of the holddown to its initial position by the spring 56 after the lastingoperation, the latch 82 is swung upwardly out of the notch 86 near the end of the cycle of operations of the machine. For this purpose there is threaded in the bracket l0 a rod 90 the rear end of which is arranged to engage and act as a stop on a the wipers after the lasting operation, at which The rod 8U.

time the slide 20 is moved farther forwardly than at any previous time in the cycle. It will be understood that when the latch is lifted the spring 56 returns the slide 20 into engagement with the shoulders Si) of the bar 22, and thereafter, as the cam 3i) permits, returns the holddown to the position which it occupied prior to its adjustment by the plunger 14.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. In a heel-end-lasting machine, the combination with heel-lasting Wipers, of a holddown for engaging the bottom of the heel end of a shoe to determine the position of the shoe relatively to the plane of the wipers, means movable by the operator to adjust said holddown from a normal position in a direction to provide for less pressure of the wipers .on the shoe in the wiping operation, and automatic means for returning the holddown to said normal position preparatory to the operation of the machine on the next shoe.

2. In a power-operated heel-end-lasting machine, the combination with heel-lasting wipers, of a holddown for engaging the bottom of the heel end of a shoe to determine the position of the shoe relatively to the plane of the wipers, means movable by the operator to adjust said holddown from a normal position in a direction to provide for less pressure of the wipers on the shoe in the wiping operation, a device for retaining the holddown in adjusted position, and automatic means for rendering said device inoperative and for returning the holddown to said normal position in the course of the power operation of the machine.

3. In a power-operated heel-end-lasting machine, the combination with heel-lasting wipers, of a holddown for engaging the bottom of the heel end of a shoe to determine the position of the shoe relatively to the plane of the wipers, a lever movable by the operator prior to the starting of the power operation of the machine to adjust said holddown from a normal position in a direction to provide for less pressure of the wipers on the shoe in the wiping operation, a latch for retaining the holddown in adjusted position, and automatic means for operating said latch to release the holddown to permit its return to said normal position in the course of the power operation of the machine.

4. In a power-operated heel-end-lasting machine, the combination with heel-lasting wipers, of a holddown for engaging the bottom of the heel end of a shoe to determine the position of the shoe relatively to the plane of the Wipers, mechanism for adjusting said holddown at the will of the operator in a direction heightwise of the shoe prior to the power operation of the machine, and automatic means for returning the holddown to the position from which it was thus adjusted preparatory to the operation of the machine on the next shoe.

5. In a heel-end-lasting machine, the combination with heel-lasting wipers, of a holddown for engaging the bottom of the heel end of a shoe to determine the position of the shoe relatively to the plane of the wipers, said holddown being movable to a predetermined position in response to pressure oi the shoe against it prior to the operation of the wipers on the shoe, mechanism movable by the operator to establish a limit for such movement of the holddown different from its normal limit of movement, and automatic means for re-establishing said normal limit of movement preparatory to the. operation of the machine on the next shoe.

6. In a heel-end-lasting machine, the comb-ination with heel-lasting wipers, of a holddown for engaging the bottom of they heel end of a shoe todetermine the position of the shoe relatively to the plane, of the wipers, members movable one by the other to impart to the holddown a shoe-depressing movement in the course of the operation of the machine, means for moving one of said members relatively to the other to eiect a preliminary adjustment of the holddown from a normal position to a diierent position at the will o1" the operator, and automatic means for returning the holddown to said normal position after the lasting operation.

'7. In a heel-end-lasting machine, the combination with heel-lasting Wipers, of a holddown for engaging the bottom of the heel end of a shoe to determine the position of the shoe relatively to the plane of the wipers, members movable one by the other to impart to the holddown a shoedepressing movement in the course of the operation of the machine, one of said members being movable relatively to the other to effect a preliminary adjustment of the holddown from a normal position to a different position at the will of the operator, a device for maintaining the members in the relation assumed in such adjustment of the holddown, and automatic means for rendering said device inoperative and for thus releasing the holddown to permit its return to said normal position after the lasting operation.

8. In a heel-end-lasting machine, the combination with heel-lasting wipers, of a holddown for engaging the bottom of the heel end of a shoe to determine the position of the shoe relatively to the plane of the wipers, members movable one by the other to impart to the holddown a shoe-depressing movement in the course of the operation of the machine, means for moving one of said members relatively to the other at the will of the operator to effect a preliminary adjustment of the holddown from a normal position in a direction to provide for less pressure of the wipers on the shoe in the wiping operation, a latch for maintaining the members in the relation assumed in such adjustment of the holddown, and automatic means for withdrawing said latch to permit return of the holddown to said normal position preparatory to the operation of the machine on the next shoe.

9. In a heel-end-lasting machine, the combination with heel-lasting wipers, of a holddown for engaging the bottom of the heel end of a shoe to determine the position of the shoe relatively to the plane of the wipers, members movable one by the other to impart to the holddown a shoe-depressing movement prior to the wiping operation and a further shoe-depressing movement after the wiping operation, means for moving one of said members relatively to the other at the will of the operator to effect a preliminary adjustment of the holddown, a device for maintaining the members in the relation assumed in such adjustment of the holddown, and automatic means for rendering said device inoperative in response to the movement of the members to impart said further shoe-depressing movement to the holddown.

10. In a heel-end-lasting machine, the combination with heel-lasting wipers, of a holddown for engaging the bottom of the heel end of a shoe to determine the position of the shoe relawith said members and arranged to maintain them in the relation assumed in such adjust-ment of the holddown, and a stop for withdrawing said latch from operative position in response to the movement of the members to impart said further 5 shoe-depressing movement to the holddown.

JACOB C. JORGENSEN. 

